This invention relates generally to controls for pressurized fluid driven tools and more particularly to controls intended to be operated by the hand of an operator using a fluid driven tool.
Conventional hand-operated controls for fluid driven tools use a pivoted level which is pressed against the body or casing of the tool to start the tool and released to stop the tool. Maintaining this lever depressed during operation of the tool can become tiring to the hand of an operator. One advantage of this particular design of control is that the tool is immediately stopped if the tool is dropped or otherwise released from the hand of the operator. In order to avoid the discomfort of maintaining the control lever depressed during the operation of the tool, it is common for operators to tape or otherwise tie down the control to maintain it in a continuous open position, whether or not the tool remains in the hand of the operator. This result is objectionable because it creates the unsafe condition of the tool control failing to stop the tool when it is dropped or otherwise released by the hand of the operator.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in current controls used in fluid driven tools. It is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide a alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.